Menu

Travel: Lubbock, TX

My flight lands in Lubbock after a very early morning drive to Newark followed by a fairly nondescript travel day. Amy texts “hurry up!” which is typical since I’d been there for more than the customary 3 minutes. We were excited.

I walk out the sliding doors and the dry, Lubbock heat embraces me. This is going to be a good hair weekend. I look to my left and there she is, my best friend who seemingly turned into a mom overnight, holding the cutest dang kid I’ve ever seen. Squeals ensue, as we’re wont to do when we greet each other after a long absence, and as I run up to give my dear friend a hug, that dang baby plasters on the biggest smile you’ve ever seen and reaches for me. A complete stranger, except I think he knew. I’m his Hatsie.

It was love at first site.

Amy and I grew up together, and she and her husband welcomed Tom into the world back in October. I had lived vicariously in his world through pictures and videos, and was pretty certain that he was the cutest kid, but I was unprepared for the reality that is expressive eyebrows, easy smiles, and the brightest orange hair you’ve ever seen.

I know everyone thinks babies are cute. And I know everything thinks their baby is the cutest. And who am I to comment on that? I don’t have a kid.

But I do have a Tom, and I’m telling you, he might be the cutest kid. Or for you parents, the cutest kid that isn’t yours.

We spent 48 blissful hours playing, laughing, rocking, laughing, and watching this kid. It was exactly how I wanted to spend my trip.

When we weren’t playing with baby, we visited my favorite college haunt, Chimy’s, which serves the strongest margaritas and holds the dearest memories for me. The fish tacos are worth the trip alone.

Full disclosure: as per usual on a trip to Texas, we ate out for 4 meals, and I ate tacos for two of them. You have to get it while you can, you know?

I visited Tech campus where I ran into, who else, my cousin who is an entering freshmen this year and his father, my uncle, neither of which I had seen in at least 2 years.

It was a trip to remember, and left me with such warm feelings for the city where I spent my college years. A trip home, even if it’s not the home in which you grew up, is always good for the soul.